


~

by LovelyLessie



Category: Marvel, Young Avengers
Genre: Gen, Mutants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-18
Updated: 2014-08-18
Packaged: 2018-02-13 16:18:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2157147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelyLessie/pseuds/LovelyLessie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tommy Shepherd is always pretty hyperactive, but some times more so than others. (Set at the end of the Family Matters arc.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	~

**Author's Note:**

> (Inspired by the idea that the sudden restoration of Tommy's powers after super-juvie could also give him sort of a power-high.)

"So," he says, "you’re not  _always_  like that, huh?”

"Like what?" Tommy asks, spinning to look at him with wide eyes.

"Um," Billy says, and gestures vaguely. "Like…a squirrel on drugs?"

"Oh," Tommy says, and then, "I’m  _not?_  That’s news to me. And, like, everyone. You should tell my mom. Wait, don’t actually tell my mom.”

Billy stares at him and wonders how he can shift monitoring duty for Tommy onto someone else’s shoulders. “I mean,” he says, “you’re a  _little_  like that. But no more than I would expect from a speedster, now.”

"Well, of  _course_  I was worse  _yesterday,”_  Tommy scoffs, as if this is obvious. 

"Having never met you, I sort of thought that might be your baseline," Billy tells him dryly. He’s intensely relieved to find he was wrong; for the past two days he’s been getting a headache just being in the same  _room_  as Tommy.  _  
_

"Nah," Tommy says. "Though I guess it was pretty awesome. Not worth it, though, you know?"

Of course, trying to have a conversation with this guy is making his head hurt even now. “Not really, no,” he says, shaking his head.

"Oh," Tommy replies. "Sorry. I assumed you were a freak, too."

"Whoa,  _what,”_  Billy says, balking in the middle of the sidewalk.

Tommy glances back at him and in a blur comes back to face him. “You know,” he says, “with the x-gene? A mutant?”

"Okay, for one thing, we’re in the middle of the street in New York City and you should probably not talk so loud," Billy says. "And for another thing - " He lowers his voice as he tugs Tommy onwards. " _You’re_  a mutant. Aren’t you?” _  
_

"Duh," Tommy says. "That’s what I _said._  Are  _you?”_ _  
_

”I, uh,” Billy says. “Probably?”

"You mean you don’t know?" Tommy asks, staring. "There’s a  _test_  for it, how do you not know?”

"Well, I think they only do that test if there’s a family history," Billy says. "Or, you know, when powers manifest."

"Which yours  _did,”_  Tommy says.

"Yeah, and my parents don’t  _know_  about that,” he hisses. “They’ll be the only ones in New York, too, if you don’t shut up.”

He hopes to God he doesn’t come across half as condescending and obnoxious as Tommy does when he rolls his eyes. “I was just curious,” he says in a petulant voice. "Anyways, I guess that makes sense, cause you would have had pills to turn it off if they knew, so you'd know, huh?"

"I - " Billy says, and shakes his head. "I don't think so."

Tommy gives him a look. "Oh," he says. "They gave _me_ pills. Only when I stopped taking them, wham! All came back at once, same as when you guys broke the inhibitor field. Can you walk  _any_ faster than that, by the way?”

"Um," Billy says, still trying to process most of that. "Yes. To a degree that makes a difference to  _you?_  Probably not.”

"Ugh," Tommy groans. "Where are we going, anyways? Why can’t I do this myself?"

"You want the nice answer, or the honest one?"

Tommy frowns.

Billy bites his tongue to keep himself from grinning. “The nice answer is because I have money, and I’m going to pay for breakfast,” he says. 

"What’s the honest one?" Tommy asks, frowning harder.

"The honest answer," Billy replies, "is that Eli doesn’t trust you - mostly because we found you in super-juvie - and if you’re gonna be associated with the team he wants someone to keep an eye on you."

"Rude."

"Also, we’re going to the cafe," Billy says. "Bakery and coffee deal, it’s another block up."

"Oh," Tommy says, and grins. "See you there!"

"Tommy,  _wait,”_  Billy yelps, a good two seconds too late; Tommy is gone. Swearing under his breath, he ducks his head and breaks into a run.

It’s a very minor comfort that Tommy is waiting, as promised, outside of the cafe. “Hey,” he says, bouncing on his toes. “Took you long enough.”

Billy can’t even find words to adequately respond to that, so instead he just stares, shaking his head slowly. “I can’t believe you,” he says.

"Yeah, yeah," Tommy replies. "Come on, let’s go! I’m starved."


End file.
